Republicanasweretheirmanners，therewasnopractical，atleastnodangerous，lackofdiscipline。Wickswastheonlysailoronboard，therewasnonetocriticise；andbesides，hewassoeasy-going，andsomerry-minded，thatnonecouldbeartodisappointhim。Carthewdidhisbest，partlyfortheloveofdoingit，partlyforloveofthecaptain；Amaluwasawillingdrudge，andevenHemsteadandHaddenturnedtouponoccasionwithawill。Tommy’sdepartmentwasthetradeandtraderoom；hewouldworkdownintheholdorovertheshelvesofthecabin，tilltheSydneydandywasunrecognizable；comeupatlast，drawabucketofsea-water，bathe，change，andliedownondeckoverabigsheafofSydney_Heralds_and_DeadBirds_，orperhapswithavolumeofBuckle’s_HistoryofCivilisation_，thestandardworkselectedforthatcruise。Inthelattercase，asmilewentroundtheship，forBucklealmostinvariablylaidhisstudentout，andwhenTomawokeagainhewasalmostalwaysinthehumourforbrownsherry。Theconnectionwassowellestablishedthat“aglassofBuckle“or“abottleofcivilisation“becamecurrentpleasantriesonboardtheCurrencyLass。
Hemstead’sprovincewasthatoftherepairs，andhehadhishandsfull。Nothingonboardbutwasdecayedinaproportion；
thelampsleaked；sodidthedecks；door-knobscameoffinthehand，mouldingspartedcompanywiththepanels，thepumpdeclinedtosuck，andthedefectivebathroomcameneartoswamptheship。Wicksinsistedthatallthenailswerelongagoconsumed，andthatshewasonlygluedtogetherbytherust。“Youshouldn’tmakemelaughsomuch，Tommy。”hewouldsay。“I’mafraidI’llshakethesternpostoutofher。”And，asHemsteadwenttoandfrowithhistoolbasketonanendlessroundoftinkering，Wickslostnoopportunityofchaffinghimuponhisduties。“Ifyou’dturntoatsailoringorwashingpaintorsomethinguseful，now。”hewouldsay，“Icouldseethefunofit。Buttobemendingthingsthathaven’tnoinsidestothemappearstometheheightoffoolishness。”Anddoubtlessthesecontinualpleasantrieshelpedtoreassurethelandsmen，whowenttoandfrounmoved，undercircumstancesthatmighthavedauntedNelson。
Theweatherwasfromtheoutsetsplendid，andthewindfairandsteady。Theshipsailedlikeawitch。“ThisCurrencyLassisapowerfuloldgirl，andhasmorecomplaintsthanIwouldcaretoputanameon。”thecaptainwouldsay，asheprickedthechart；“butshecouldshowherbloomingheelstoanythingofhersizeintheWesternPacific。”Towashdecks，relievethewheel，dotheday’sworkafterdinneronthesmoking-roomtable，andtakeinkitesatnight，——suchwastheeasyroutineoftheirlife。Intheevening——aboveall，ifTommyhadproducedsomeofhiscivilisation——yarnsandmusicweretherule。AmaluhadasweetHawaiianvoice；andHemstead，agreathanduponthebanjo，accompaniedhisownquaveringtenorwitheffect。
Therewasasenseinwhichthelittlemancouldsing。Itwasgreattohearhimdeliver_MyBoyTammie_inAustrylian；andthewordssomeoftheworstoftheruffianMacneil’swerehailedinhisversionwithinextinguishablemirth。